An Officer's Appreciation.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 19 October 1917, Page 4

An Officer's Appreciation.

Beyond my Poor Vocabulary to Express.

Recently a prominent Wellington business man wrote asking bis son, who is an officer in France, bis opinion about the war work of the Y.M.C.A: The fatner has received the following answer:—

"You were asking my opinion of the work of the "3£.M.C.A. It is beyond my poor vocabulary to express in words what this institution is doing both here and in England. It is' just •it' \ "" ■

"Of course th» officers don't come in touch with the Y.M.C.A. as much as the other ranks, but even tbey are at times dependent on them for comforts etc. For instance, at Sling the Y.M.C.A. provided a room for officers where they were able to get tea and cakes night and day with cosy chairs ani a billiard table for a rest or recreation. There was no place of its kind available in the Camp. "From what my fellow officers tell me the Y.M.C.A. is the only crowd in the advanced l>nes. Here there workis felt everywhere. What is more to the point, the Y.M.C.A. does not confine itself to Camp and the firing line, but gets at the men in the cities. 'lhat is when men go on leave to London or Gther cities the Y.M.C.A. is everywhere in evidence. A trocp train of leave m«n coming into a London station with bavn't been in the city before is always met ;by a Y.M.C.A. staff, who advise the | men as to board, cafes, etc.. etc. and i you do not know what that means to the average soldier reaching London [ for the first time. It is simply a nest- | bed of immorality to the man who is 1 unprepared, and the Y.M.C.A. with I other institutions everywhere in evii'dence helps a long way in keeping the j men in the safe places. I think when : this war is over, if the Y.M.C.A. | goes about it in the right way, it can | do more for bringing about tbe united j Church, that in my opinion is the only I way of thoroughly Christianising ; this world."